TY - JOUR
T1 - Obesity Measures in Relation to Cognition in the Northern Manhattan Study
AU - Gardener, Hannah
AU - Caunca, Michelle
AU - Dong, Chuanhui
AU - Cheung, Ying Kuen
AU - Rundek, Tatjana
AU - Elkind, Mitchell S.V.
AU - Wright, Clinton B.
AU - Sacco, Ralph L.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01 NS 29993) and the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Background: Mid-life obesity is associated with cognitive impairment, though the relationship for late-life obesity is equivocal, and may depend on the anthropometric measure. Objective: We examined the relationship between adiposity and cognition across age categories, cognitive domains, and by measures of obesity in a multi-ethnic population-based cohort. Methods: The study included 1,179 Northern Manhattan Study participants with obesity measures at baseline (44% overweight, 30% obese), an initial neuropsychological assessment conducted within 7 years (mean age=70), and a second cognitive assessment conducted on average 6 years later. Z-scores were derived for cognitive domains (episodic and semantic memory, executive function, processing speed) and averaged to calculate global cognition. Body mass index (BMI) and waist:hip ratio (WHR) were examined in relation to cognitive performance and change over time, stratified by age, using linear regression models adjusting for vascular risk factors. Results: Among those age<65 years at baseline, greater WHR was associated with worse global cognitive performance at initial assessment and directly associated with decline in performance between assessments. The association with initial performance was strongest for non-Hispanic Whites (beta=-0.155/standard deviation, p=0.04), followed by non-Hispanic Black/African Americans (beta=-0.079/standard deviation, p=0.07), and Hispanics (beta=-0.055/standard deviation, p=0.03). The associations were most apparent for the domains of processing speed and executive function. There was no association for BMI among those <65 years. Among those age ≥65, there was no association for BMI or WHR with cognitive performance at initial assessment nor decline over time. Conclusion: Our results support the detrimental effect of mid-life rather than later life obesity, particularly abdominal adiposity, on cognitive impairment and decline.
AB - Background: Mid-life obesity is associated with cognitive impairment, though the relationship for late-life obesity is equivocal, and may depend on the anthropometric measure. Objective: We examined the relationship between adiposity and cognition across age categories, cognitive domains, and by measures of obesity in a multi-ethnic population-based cohort. Methods: The study included 1,179 Northern Manhattan Study participants with obesity measures at baseline (44% overweight, 30% obese), an initial neuropsychological assessment conducted within 7 years (mean age=70), and a second cognitive assessment conducted on average 6 years later. Z-scores were derived for cognitive domains (episodic and semantic memory, executive function, processing speed) and averaged to calculate global cognition. Body mass index (BMI) and waist:hip ratio (WHR) were examined in relation to cognitive performance and change over time, stratified by age, using linear regression models adjusting for vascular risk factors. Results: Among those age<65 years at baseline, greater WHR was associated with worse global cognitive performance at initial assessment and directly associated with decline in performance between assessments. The association with initial performance was strongest for non-Hispanic Whites (beta=-0.155/standard deviation, p=0.04), followed by non-Hispanic Black/African Americans (beta=-0.079/standard deviation, p=0.07), and Hispanics (beta=-0.055/standard deviation, p=0.03). The associations were most apparent for the domains of processing speed and executive function. There was no association for BMI among those <65 years. Among those age ≥65, there was no association for BMI or WHR with cognitive performance at initial assessment nor decline over time. Conclusion: Our results support the detrimental effect of mid-life rather than later life obesity, particularly abdominal adiposity, on cognitive impairment and decline.
KW - Adiposity
KW - cognition
KW - cognitive dysfunction
KW - epidemiology
KW - obesity
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U2 - 10.3233/JAD-201071
DO - 10.3233/JAD-201071
M3 - Article
C2 - 33164939
AN - SCOPUS:85097603449
VL - 78
SP - 1653
EP - 1660
JO - Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
JF - Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
SN - 1387-2877
IS - 4
ER -